XTerra World Championships Race Report Part II: Racing in Paradise

I woke on Sun Oct 27th with a spring in my step and a huge smile on my face.  I had carefully followed instructions on pre-riding and training in Maui, avoided the sun and stayed off my feet, eaten carefully, hydrated appropriately (so I hoped!) and managed to get a good night's rest.  Race day is here!!!

Spin Sisters Race kit for triathlon

Proudly wearing Spin Sisters Colours on Race Day

 I ate a reasonable breakfast taken from The Feed Zone, "Allen's Rice Cakes."  I tried to add 2 more scrambled eggs, but quickly discovered my tummy just wouldn't tolerate more.  The butterflies had arrived!!!

I easily arrived in Transition, set up my bike, made the rounds of port-a-potties, and realized I still had an HOUR to wait!!  I hadn't factored OUT my wetsuit: I am so used to struggling into the wetsuit and warming up in colder climes, that I suddenly had extra time to watch the crowd and soak up some nervous excitement.

Once on the beach, time sped back up again, we were marshalled to the right-hand side of the beach (yes, I made it onto the blooper reel when my swim cap popped off the top of my head - my kids saw it on the web-feed).  I practiced entering and exiting the waves, I swam for 5 min to warmup my shoulders, then headed back to shore for opening ceremonies.

The Swim
The Pros started at 9am, Men after a 2 min interval, Women after another 2 min interval.  Entry into the ocean was smooth, no lost goggles.  But swimming into the waves and trying to sight the buoy was tough!  I must have been sighting at the lull between waves, I would go for several attempts and still be in the trough of a wave.  It made the swim away from shore feel long and I wondered if I was lost! Luckily I stayed with feet almost the entire swim, right in the mix of people, so my fears of being alone in the ocean soon vanished.  500m out to the buoy, 500m back to shore - the return trip felt smooth and fast!

Quick Beach Run, still in the mix

A quick run on shore, through the sand, around the flags, dive back into the ocean for 250m to a second buoy and then 250m back to shore.  The second buoy came up fast and suddenly I was on terra firma looking for the chute to T1!

 Swim time: 35:01, 18th out of 25 in my age group.

T1
It was a LONG run UPHILL to T1!  I loved my Blue Seventy Swim Skin - the tear-away zipper and easy exit beats a clumsy wetsuit hands down!  I was out of my swim skin and working on my helmet and shoes, even with the long distance from the ocean to T1, I was outta there in approx 4 min!

The Bike
The initial climb was tough, it took some guts, it created a sweaty mess, and I tried to keep my head: drink, eat, pace.  Before long, I was at the ridge, and that's when it hit me: THIS IS FUN!!! I distinctly remember thinking that bouncing along the rainforest above the ocean, PASSING PEOPLE, riding short technical sections, enjoying the feel of the race, I was having a BLAST!!! The bike course is not too technical, lots of hills, but I was able to pass people unused to mountain biking on the descents, and the long dirt road downhill was a great place to catch up with some of the men who didn't like the loose dirt.  I reminded myself to trust the bike, keep rolling, feather the brakes, and enjoy the ride.  Whew, it was amazing!!!  I drank all of my camel back (frozen the night before, it thawed perfectly and provided cool water for my ride, complete with Ultima for electrolyte balance), and ate all of my rice concoction, just enough fuel to keep me going.  The final climb had some weird moment: I remember thinking that I could certainly use a rocket jet-pack on one of the hills, and I remember thinking about a Star Wars phrase: there is no try - do or do not.  I recalled the theory of hill work: sure, you can push your bike, but it is more efficient to ride the hill.  So I did - I let my legs spin uphill, knowing that there would be time for them to recup before the run.  I raced hard, I raced happy - it was a perfect combination of training, effort, and execution.  What a perfect ride! 

Filthy Dirty and Loving Every Minute of It!  Race Hard, Race Happy!

 Bike Time: 3:03, 17th out of 25 in age group.

T2:
Quick transitions, that was one of my goals: rack the bike, swap the shoes, grab a hat and GO.

The Run:
The first half of this course is a suffer-fest: uphill, follow the same track as the bike course; uphill for 3 miles.  Egads.  I made myself a promise: run all flats, all downhills, stop at all aid stations (one every mile), and suffer the uphills whenever possible.  The aid stations were just in time: I started overheating roughly 100m before an aid station popped up, whereupon I would grab 2 waters: one to drink, one to pour on the back of my neck to lower body temp.  I brought 2 gels with me, consumed them both along the way, and, thankfully, my tummy tolerated them.  My strategy worked, I started to pass people, even at a quick walk, and I was making decent time.  A short journey around the a small lake, then the downhill run began.  It was winding through the trees, watch your feet!, and relentless downhill.  Another runner pointed out we were on the way home, and if we pushed through, could make it under 5 hours.  Really? I did some mental math and kept pace, just off her shoulder.  We weren't in the same age group, and we struck up a winded conversation, I believe we both drew motivation from our short run together.  My quads began to quiver, and the short, very steep uphill 1 mile from the beach was a killer; my new running buddy pushed through, I needed a quick walk to the top.  Once over the top, I willed my legs to run, quickly descended to the beach and reminded myself to look for wet sand along the water's edge, and to use short, quick steps.  I suffered on that beach, but kept running. 

Race Face on the Beach: focused, running, determined.

 It was hard, it was biting into my legs.  I hit the grass, only 100m to the finish line, pick up the pace, keep running, and... FINISHED!!! I am so happy that my kids watched me cross the line on the web-stream.  Crossing the line was full of joy in accomplishment, it was a special moment.

Run Time: 1:18, 18th of 25 in age group

Notes on the Finish Line
This Finish Line felt as sweet as IMC two years ago; a bucket list race in a dream location, a wicked training plan that evolved into a winning race plan that was executed to demonstrate endurance, strength, and dedication.  I loved every minute of this race, it tested my physical and mental limits.  There is nothing else that I could have done on that day to achieve a different result.  It was an amazing, perfect race day.  

Crossing the Line with Determination and Strength

Overall results:

Total time: 4:57:08 (dream goal was sub-5 hours)
18th of 25 in my age group
144th of 215 women who started

Many thanks go to my husband and kids, who supported my time away from the family to train and focus.
Thanks to friends who think I've either disappeared off the earth or are tired of riding the same trails with me.
Thanks to colleagues and clients who listen to tales of trails and provided encouragement along the journey.
Thanks to Spin Sisters, you crazy group of women mountain bikers who inspire me with every ride.  
Thanks to Coach Jack for patience and talent designing the perfect training program for me.

What a wonderful world!

XTerra World Championships Race Report Part 1: The Road to Maui and Pre-Race Prep

Mid-August I was notified that I earned a spot at the XTerra World Championships in Maui, held Oct 27, 2013.  Wowzers!!!  This is one of my bucket-list races, it comes on the heels of a solid season of riding and training, perfect timing!  And, don't forget, it's held in MAUI!!!

Coach Jack ramped up a great program to get me ready, lots of intensity, lots of time on trails, and lots of time in the pool.  My average pool workout was 2800-3000m to prep me for the 1500m ocean swim.  I was instantly nervous about the swim, worries ranging from huge waves to jellyfish, to no wetsuit, and, thanks to my mother, sharks (it was the first thing she mentioned upon hearing that I was racing in the ocean).

I managed to get some fun riding in the mix too: I went to Rossland BC with friends for a long weekend of riding, which included the Seven Summits trail. 

Ready to shuttle the Seven Summits Trail in Rossland

Buff trails and lots of sunshine on Seven Summits

One of Seven Summits

I also entered the Grizzly Mountain Events 50km Mountain Bike Enduro in early October as prep for the race; I raced solo.  It was a cold start, but fun to race with the pack.  I treated the event as a tough training ride to test out nutrition (I'm experimenting - successfully! - with eating real food during races) and I enjoyed hugs from my kids at each lap.  I was pleased to finish 3rd in my age group.

Food and hugs at the end of each lap

I kept riding each weekend, long runs too.  Thanks to Mark S and John E and Ryan and everyone else who was able to keep me company on the rides in Canmore and Bragg Creek and Banff - the weather held off for us, it was crispy fall riding at it's best! My biggest goal pre-race was to arrive at race day injury-free - success!!

My IBM colleagues and clients were super supportive of my endeavours - they patiently listened to tales of trails and poked fun at the Gucci designer bags under my eyes.  They think I'm crazy, but loudly cheered me on the entire time.

I boarded the plane to Maui on Wednesday prior to the race.  A small delay getting into SFO left me sprinting for the connector to Kahalui - I made it! The attendant at the door set the tone for the trip: "Relax and breathe, you're going to Maui." Yahoo!

Upon arrival in Maui, I hit the local Safeway, and drove the coast (in the dark) to arrive at the Kapalua Villas in West Maui (a beautifully appointed condo on the golf course).  I assembled my bike as best I could (thanks for bending the rear rotor and locking my brakes UNITED AIRLINES - ugh, what a horrible experience of shipping my bike with them), cooked up some food for race day (and race prep) and went to bed.

I woke up in paradise. 

Sunrise view from my balcony at Kapalua Villas

My first order of business was to pick up my registration packet at the Ritz Carlton.  Race number is 809, there is a healthy list of women in my age group, some cool stuff to pick up and check out at the Race Expo, and a good selection of memorabilia.  I was able to browse around while the on-site mechanics tended to my bike.

I was so excited to check out the race course!  I was still nervous about the ocean, so I decided to ignore it for now, and climbed on my trusty steed to do a lap of the bike course.  The climbing started immediately out of T1 and continued for a solid +3 miles!  The course had a few roots to bump over, the ground was sandy and loose, the uphills were relentless.  I took a breather at the top of the first climb:

Top of the first hill climb, looking back to the Ritz on the ocean.

From here, the ride followed a ridge, then a short technical descent, followed by a very big climb.

Meadow at the top

Trail heads into the valley along an ever-narrowing ridge before descending the lush forest.

Racing in paradise

I mentally broke the ride into three sections: a long climb UP for approx 7 miles, fun descending and a long downhill on a dusty road (it made my bike sound horrible! it creaked and squeaked over every bump!) for another 7-8 miles, and another long climb that twisted and turned through the trees on a hiking trail (read: not built for mtn biking so off-camber and not banked well) before the final downhill into T2 for a total of 20 miles.  I bailed out once on the final section when my front wheel hit the sand - but I was lucky, the woman around the corner was rewarded with a broken jaw!  The heat was oppressive, so I took my time on the pre-ride, I could see others speed past and later found them huddled under the shade to recover.  I knew that part of my plan would have to be about moderating my body temperature and taking in enough fluid to allow for a strong run.  The run course follows the bike for the first half, then circles a small lake before coming back downhill - I didn't anticipate anything out of the ordinary on the run course, so played it safe and ducked out of the heat before fully exploring the run course. 

Overall, the pre-ride was a big success: I was primed and ready!

I woke at 4:15 on Friday morning to participate in a traditional Hawaiian ceremony to welcome the day and cleanse the soul.  E Ala E - look to the source.  In the dark, dusky morning, approximately 75 racers gathered to learn a bit more about the stunningly beautiful Hawaiian culture and participate by walking into the ocean.  The surf was pounding, it was dark - so I dove into the ocean for the first time and emerged as the sun began to light the sky.  It was stunning and meaningful and spiritual.

The following days were productive: I finally dipped my feet into the ocean on Friday for a 20 min swim in a protected bay with lots of snorkelers around for company - I was nervous and decided there was safety in numbers.  The water was amazing! So clear and blue!  I could see the coral and rocks and fish, it looked like Finding Nemo!  And I felt light and smooth in the water - gotta love salt water!  It gave me the confidence to tackle the waves at DT Flemming Beach.

XTerra hosted a series of "University" sessions with the pros, where we could listen to them talk about race tactics and ask questions.  The sessions were helpful, in that it helped me understand the race course a bit deeper, and it underlined the need for proper hydration and nutrition, in that order.  Canadian Pro Danelle Kabush offered good insight on the run course, keep your feet light when running the sand, shorten your strides a bit.  I especially enjoyed Canadian Pro Christine Jeffrey's comments about sand in your suit: "Consider it a loofah, people pay lots of money for loofah treatments, consider it a bonus."  She also invited us to the beach for an impromptu lesson on waves, how to enter and exit the beach safely.  The surf at this beach was much more aggressive than the other bay that I swam in, although everyone agreed that it was much more tame than 2012 (where effects of the tsunami in Asia caused evacuations and big waves on race day).  I left the beach feeling READY.

Stay tuned for my report on RACE DAY coming soon! (I'm waiting for some pics)

GranFondo Banff - Aug 24, 2013

A passion for cycling and some keen co-workers, friends, and clients led me to the GranFondo Banff this year!  Team IBM entered 15 people, with more cheering us on along the way. 

Beautiful day to ride (thanks for pic Suzanne!)

The event is super fun - the organizers pull together a great course, stock their aid stations with more fresh food and snacks than some grocery stores, and the participants get to ride 145km with some of the top cyclists in the world (pro teams are fun to watch as they freight train past!) and cyclists from around North America. 

Fun to share cycling with clients

It was an early start to the day, as we wanted a group pic under the starting archway at 6:15. It was fun to show off our snazzy team jerseys!  We snapped a bunch of pics in the dark, then spread out according to our corrals; you pick a corral based on your estimated finish time.  Six of us claimed some real estate in corral #4, the goal being to finish between 4.5 and 5 hours. 

Team IBM is ready to roll

Team IBM at the Start Line

Fellow Spin Sisters Suzanne and Sarah entered the event, I had the pleasure of joining Suzanne (also on Team IBM!) in Coral #4 for some pre-race chatter. The group in corral #4 trashed-talked a bit, quelled some nerves, downplayed our cycling abilities, and agreed to have a fun day. 

Always fun to ride with a 'Sister (and friend and co-worker)

The race started at 7am.  Our first climb for the day started right out of the chute, and by 8 minutes into the ride, the morning chill had left my legs and I was working hard up Tunnel Mountain.  Plenty of riders in the mix, it required a lot of focus to stay upright, not touch wheels, and find a clear space to ride. The course came down Tunnel Mountain, where I came across an IBM rider who had started with the Alta Classe, as special designation for an enhanced Fondo experience. We chatted briefly, then turned right, and headed back up to Lake Minnewanka for an out-and-back.  This is where I got my first glimpse of the pro teams and leaders as they descended - wow, so smooth, so fast, clumped together in a peloton to save energy and go fast.  Beauty in motion.  The out-and-back was also a good chance to scope out where the others on the Team - looking strong!  I was loosely riding a peloton at this point, holding Ryan's wheel whenever possible to conserve energy, but also taking my turn as lead rider.  Pelotons are fun: it keeps your brain engaged in the ride, gives you a chance to pull with some strength and also follow along for a recovery without losing speed.  I prefer a peloton with people I know, as it can also be very dangerous.  When you ride in the draft position, or slipstream, you can easily touch wheels, causing a crash.  I steered clear of crashes today, but saw the results of a few riders who weren't so lucky. 

After Minnewanka's descent, we lapped through the town, where spectators and accidental tourists rang cowbells and cheered us on.  Then we were on the long out-and back from Banff to Lake Louise along the 1A, which had been closed to traffic for us.  This route is a gradual uphill for 48km, with a couple of spicy uphills to keep it an honest ride.  There was a small headwind, it was uphill, I did my best to hold on, but I could feel my hips and glutes started to talk back - after all, I haven't spent much time on my road bike this year, and I was starting to feel it. 

The turn-around point at Lake Louise was situated at the top of a big climb. So a few of us stopped, gathered food, did minor repairs, and were ready to go, when the boys from Team NetAp asked if we wanted to ride a paceline.  Hellya!

Off we went, a short climb followed by the beginning of a beautiful, long, sustained ride on an open mountain road.  I took my turn at the front of this 7 person paceline, passed off to none other than Alex Steida, and held on while the others took turns pulling the group.  I had a couple of turns out front, did my best to hold my own rate, and pushed forward.  The pain in my legs melted, and we were flying: my Garmin tells me we averaged 43km/hour on this section for approx 35 minutes.  Ultimately, there was a short uphill, and I just couldn't catch the group at the top of the hill (to be fair, neither did a few others!), so we let 4 of the riders, a mix of Teams, roll into the distance.  Those of us who were left reformed a new group, added some riders, and rolled toward Banff.

The final 10km were tough: fatigued legs, some rolling terrain, and a nasty crash gave me pause... but the pull of the Finish Line was in my belly, and I pushed forward.  It was great to see my kids at the line, a few high-fives from those team members already done (I think there were 3 of you), and a hug from Ryan.  We parked our bikes and wandered to the beer garden and BBQ for some celebrations!

I had not anticipated that I would "race" the event - as it turned out, I had plenty of gas in my tank, my legs were full of zip (although they are certainly fatigued now that I'm done!), and it was a beautiful day to ride!  What a great day!

Results?
450th overall (more than 1600 people toed the line)
16/171 in my category
34/446 women 
Total time: 4:50:20 to ride 145km.


A few more pics to share:

John E is ready to roll!

Love riding with Ryan

Finished!

Cindy and Ian celebrate

Soak up the sun post-ride

Stephen and Cindy after the ride

John, Ryan, Stephen, Cindy

XTerra Canmore Race Report 2013

This is the fourth time that I’ve participated in this event; I’ve done the Sport distance and the Full distance, I’ve raced it in Whistler and in Canmore.  When Furious Three canceled, I picked XTerra Canmore as the focus for my season.  Organizer Tony Smith of Grizzly Mountain Events hosts a world-class event, with great sponsors, amazing competitors, and a lot of fun.  Thanks for the great efforts Tony!

I had a couple of goals for this race:

-       FUN – I love my mountain bike!  And with 2 other Spin Sisters racing, I was in good company.

-       Demonstrate bike power – I worked hard at the technical and strength elements of cycling, I’d like to see them translate into action on race day.

-       Improve my trail running – be stronger, longer. 

My overall goal was to finish happy, strong, and feel like I’ve given my best effort for my “A” race of the season.  

Here’s how it all went down…

The dawn arrived early in Calgary: 5am wakeup call, time to get the kids out of bed and breakfast for me, I need to be in Canmore by 7 to set up my gear.  The weather looked good – clear skies, not too chilly (although the clear skies would soon disappear!).  I arrived with lots of time to spare, set up my gear, and began to wait.  Yes, I had some nerves, but I saw lots of familiar faces, so managed to distract myself with conversations. 

XTerra Canmore swim at Quarry Lake

Last week I participated in The Grizzly Ultra SwimChallenge, held at Quarry Lake.  I entered the event as a trial-run of the XTerra swim, to get some open water experience, and to work out any kinks.  The Swim Challenge highlighted a couple of things: I need to work on my sighting, because swimming back and forth across the lake (instead of straight forward) is a waste of energy and time; and, stripping my wetsuit takes too much time, it gets stuck on my wrists.  I didn’t “race” the Swim Challenge, I was satisfied with the 35 minutes it took to swim 1500m.  The day before XTerra I dunked into Quarry Lake again, one lap instead of three, and felt like I swam smoother and stronger – and straighter!

Spin Sisters Cindy & Laura at swim start - this girl knows how to have fun while racing!

On race day I was determined.  I lined up mid-way through the pack, gave Spin Sister Laura a hug, and dove into the water.  The first lap went fast – it felt fast, I stayed in touch with the pack, yet out of troubled water – and I managed to trot around the pylon to start the second lap.  The second lap was smooth, it felt like liquid, and I was starting to pass people who may have started too fast.  At the start of lap three I glanced at my Garmin, wow! I was making GOOD time, somewhere around the 20 min mark for 2 laps is a good pace for me.  My arm wasn’t a bother either; since breaking it in May 2012, swimming has been a balance between pain and speed, so I was pleased that my arm was rolling along nicely. Lap three was smooth, I was starting to get tired, but I was still passing people, still in the mix.  I could tell that my sighting was accurate, and my strokes were smooth. I exited the water with a smile, that swim felt good. 

Lap 1 - looking strong

In the mix, strong, smooth strokes, swimming straight

Swim Time:  31:42 – nice improvement, smooth swimming!

(previous swim time:  35:22)

T1

My wetsuit has become a nightmare.  I cannot get my hands free of this black body condom and it’s frustrating as hell.  Perhaps it doesn’t fit very well (since it also feels like I carry half the lake with me when I swim, I suspect this is the case)? Perhaps I had some adrenalin pumping (I was fresh out of the lake after a fast swim)? Whatever the reason, it felt like I was wearing a straight jacket.  As I trotted towards the bike racks, Laura passed me and tried to give it a tug – no luck.  I kept on struggling, finally wrenched one hand free one hand, pulled loose the other.  The legs came off clean, no struggles.  Helmet, glasses, socks, shoes, hydration – GO!

Wetsuit FINALLY off, exit T1

T1 time:  6:11 – no improvement, looking at past comments, I had the same issues (yes, I double checked, it's exactly the same time. Bizarre.).

(previous T1 time: 6:11)

The Bike

Finishing Bike Lap 1.  Here comes the rain. 

The paved road from Quarry Lake to the Canmore Nordic Centre was a great place to start taking a few sips of Ultima, spin the legs and get the breathing under control.  In spite of my wetsuit nightmare, I managed to stay in touch with a number of riders as we went up the road – and Laura came spinning past in a blue and green blur, way to rock the bike lady!  The course was held in tandem with the Canmore Road Triathlon, some of those cyclists were also making their way through to their run course – so the staging area near T2 was a bit congested.  I kept on spinning, up the hills, up the double track, up and up.  A quick trip down the Laundry Chutes – still need to figure out the first drop/turn combo, I played it safe and walked this small section. I could see some other ladies ahead of me on the climbs, I wasn’t making up any time on them, but they weren’t leaving me behind either.  I pressed on with an even effort, the trail was tacky, a bit slick on some roots, not too bad.  It was fun towards the Meadow, the descent and flow of the course along this section is one of my favourite parts of CNC.  I was starting to pass a few people who were getting hung up on roots, I felt grateful that I had ridden the course so many times in training, I had already picked out the lines that I could ride, I felt confident on my Santa Cruz.  I played leap frog with a CSR rider from Prince George, down the Coal Chutes, I heard Laura whoop it up on the Coal Chutes, good boost of energy for me, then up the dreaded Georgetown Climb.  I didn’t want to burn out my legs on the first lap, so kept the effort in check – and the women ahead of me were getting closer.  As a point of personal pride, the lead women and pro women didn’t lap me on the bike course – always a confidence booster in my book!

Lap 2 started with a drizzle – uh-oh – and it continued to rain harder and harder as I pushed forward.  I passed the women that I had been dogging all day on some of the climbing out of the CNC, and managed to keep the rain out of my eyes.  By now it was raining HARD, the trails were becoming muck, the roots were greasy.  I trusted my bike, slowed a bit on some downhill sections, and pressed forward.  By the time I hit the Coal Chutes the second time around, I was a muddy, yucky, oozing mess.  And I bailed.  Totally wiped out.  The gunk from the coal chute was all over my bike, my legs, clumped in my shoes – yuck.  After a quick systems check, I determined that I was whole, and biked up the Georgetown Climb.  Overall, my bike felt confident, maybe not as fast as I would have liked, but I didn’t need to push the bike uphill, I had a solid technical ride, and I could tell that the interval training and on-course training paid off. My lap times were almost dead even (not counting the ride on the road), so even with the rain, my effort was well-paced, the training paid off. 

Bike time: 2:11:39.  Nice improvement!

(previous bike time: 2:21:34)

T2

Where did everyone go? Transition was quiet – no announcer, no racers, no crowd… just my family and a few other on-lookers.  Kinda spooky. 

Rack bike, change shoes, grab hat and gel – run.

T2 time:  1:30 – can’t explain the extra minute, maybe user error or inconsistency pressing the lap button in transition.

(previous T2 time: :35)

The Run

As it turns out, it was raining so hard that race organizer Tony Smith moved the crowd inside for the awards and prizes.  As the person outside in the rain, I must have been acclimated, because it wasn’t until the wind picked up that I noticed the weather was downright unpleasant. 

Lap 1 on run course

At the beginning of the run, I was able to see 4 or 5 people on the course in front of me, perhaps on their second lap, maybe on their first.  I was determined to slowly reel them in.  I focused on keeping my effort as even as possible, maintain a steady forward motion.  There was really only one hill that needed to be walked (on both laps), and I’m happy to report that I passed a couple of people.  The lead women in my age category passed me at the end of my first lap, congrats to the great competitors in the field today.  For the balance of my run I focused on steady running, up and down the undulating course.  I could feel the steady state aerobic hill training kick in, could feel the burn in my legs but knew that I had the training to keep rolling.  

Running strong to the finish

I emerged from the trees, ran solid up the last 500m to the finish area, where I could see my family waiting.  The girls were excited to run across the line with me, Kate was so thrilled to be running beside me, she was giggling the whole way.  It was a thrill to run across with them – finished with a smile! 

Run time:  1:16:36. All the hills work paid off – nice improvement!

(previous run time: 1:24:33)

Overall, I’m pleased with the PB on this course.  I took approx. 20 minutes off of last year’s time, but more importantly, I’m happy with the way I executed the race: strong segments, good technical ability, solid training, good nutrition plan. 

Thanks to my family for the support along the way. 

Thanks to Coach Jack for creating a path to make me stronger. 

Total time: 4:09:38. Almost 20 min improvement – nice!

(previous total time:  4:28:05)

Next up? fun ride with friends at Rossland's Seven Summits and Banff GranFondo - stay tuned!